REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Discussion and Council Direction on Assigned Responsibilities of City Council Appointed City Auditor [Council Pillar: Enhance Community Engagement and Transparency]
Report
BACKGROUND
Following the resignation of the former City Clerk in 2018, the Council appointed the Assistant Finance Director as the City Auditor. This appointment was codified in Santa Clara City Code section 2.105.015, which expanded the role of the City Auditor from that set forth in Charter Section 909.
The Assistant Finance Director shall perform the functions of the City Auditor. These duties and responsibilities include conducting in-depth financial and performance audits, overseeing the City's performance management system, auditing and approving all bills, invoices, payrolls, demands or charges against the City government before payment and, with the advice of the City Attorney, making reports to the City Council as to the regularity, legality and correctness of such claims, demands or charges.
Since the appointment in August 2018, the Assistant Finance Director/City Auditor (City Auditor) has begun to reintroduce the internal audit function and existence to City staff. The City Auditor prepared and presented the City's first formal Internal Audit Charter (attachment 1) and Audit Work Plan for FY18-19 (mid-year) and FY19-20 (attachment 2), and Council successfully approved it. In addition, the City Auditor, with the help of the City Manager's Office, has created a new webpage for the City Auditor's Office for the public to access audit reports and provide suggestions for potential future audit topics. The Internal Auditor job series was also established and approved in 2019 to allow the City Auditor to start recruiting for critical internal audit positions to assist with carrying out the projects in the Audit Work Plan.
In September 2019, as part of the reorganization within the Finance Department, the Assistant Finance Director/City Auditor has requ...
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